Kukla's Korner Hockey

“How can I begin to think I’m going to compete for a playoff spot by trading Backstrom?” Risebrough said. “Now, that’s showing you my motivation. I don’t know what somebody else’s motivation is. To say ‘never’ is illogical, and I don’t want to be hung with that because I don’t know what somebody might offer me.

“If somebody says, ‘I really want to overpay,’ well, then what do I do? Now they put me in a dilemma. But I’ve told you my motivation.”

Asked if that includes Marian Gaborik, whom Risebrough also says he’d prefer to hold onto, he answered, “Both.”

...another trading deadline is approaching — it’s on Wednesday — and Smyth’s name has been tossed out amid indications general manager Francois Giguere at least got the word out that he would at least listen to offers for Smyth. But Smyth has a no-trade clause in his contract, and Sunday he again said neither he not his agent, Don Meehan, had been asked about waiving it.

“It’s just rumors,” Smyth said. “That’s what happens this time of year. I’ve been fortunate enough to have that no-move clause in place, so right now it’s all speculation.”

He said he would be “surprised” if Giguere eventually asks him to waive the no-trade clause.

The New England Sports Network and the Boston Herald both reported that the Eastern Conference leading Bruins have offered their first- and third-round picks in the upcoming NHL entry draft, as well top prospect Joe Colborne.

Burke told TSN that there has been no such offer.

“It’s not true, a total fabrication,” Burke told TSN. “I sat with (Boston GM) Peter Chiarelli for the first period of Saturday’s game in Boston and we never discussed Tomas Kaberle. We hadn’t spoken about Kaberle before that and we most certainly haven’t since then. There is no truth to it at all. None.”

It’s always dangerous to read too much into one game, but the 8-0 conquest of Detroit carries some extra weight. The Preds pushed and the Red Wings didn’t push back. Sure, Detroit was playing its second game in as many nights but it is unusual for the Red Wings to go quietly.

Where will all this lead? It’s hard to say. Nobody expects the Preds to continue to put up such gaudy offensive numbers. This is a blue-collar team that wins with a strong work ethic and attention to detail.

But with six weeks left in the regular season, the Predators look like a team that is developing a playoff pedigree.

They are the best team in the NHL right now. It appears the Devils raised the level of their play when Brodeur returned. They were already a very good team. Brodeur’s return was going to trigger one of two reactions: The Devils would rely on him too much and see a drop in their over all, or pull together to make sure the goalie’s return was successful. We know how it went.

- The Blue Jackets are ready to deal G Pascal Leclaire, but his season-ending ankle surgery in January and the two years remaining at an average of $3.8 million (all terms US) are going to scare teams off. Leclaire, 25, had a 4-6-1 record with a 3.83 GAA before being injured and has lost the No. 1 job to Steve Mason. The Senators would likely pass if the Jackets were to offer Leclaire for W Antoine Vermette.

- The Thrashers have held talks with several teams about G Kari Lehtonen, but the sense is he won’t be dealt and Atlanta will wait until the off-season. The talk is the Wings and Capitals have shown interest in the 24-year-old, which means the Senators would likely be at the bottom of the list.

On Sunday, the sense was that the Pronger chatter had lessened from last week’s fever pitch; it doesn’t mean it can’t pick up again between now and Wednesday, as the Ducks try to lower their payroll.

Of the other big names on the block, there is a belief now that Jay Bouwmeester may survive the deadline after all, with the Florida Panthers unable to find a good-enough hockey deal to coax them into trading the potential unrestricted free agent. Bouwmeester had been linked most prominently to the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade scenario, but the Flyers’ Eastern Conference rivals, the New Jersey Devils, are currently the only contender with the cap room to make it work.

In the Western Conference, the Phoenix Coyotes’ descent since the all-star break, a 3-12 slide, means they will almost certainly move defenceman Derek Morris and centre Olli Jokinen, Morris in the next 72 hours for sure, Jokinen either now or at the NHL entry draft.

Even if the Montreal Canadiens appear to have turned the corner in the past week or so behind goaltender Jaroslav Halak’s play, Jokinen would appeal to them because he could replace Robert Lang’s scoring.

Like it or not, Ovechkin does get away with some questionable physical play on the ice, and one of these games, he’s going to have to face the consequences, like all players do.

Do not get me wrong, and I’m concerned that a legion of Ovechkin apologists will rush to judgement, as they foam at the mouth at even a hint of criticism directed the way of Number Eight; Ovechkin is one of the few true superstars in the NHL, and is very good for business.

He should continue to celebrate goals in the manner which has made him famous, but he should also understand when someone decides to go all Dale Hunter on him. Oh sure, when a player does that, it’ll be wrong, and should be penalized, so I’m not suggesting someone should do it, I just think it’s a matter of time before someone will do it.

Niclas Havelid is an alternate captain and one of the most respected players on the team. He’s also 35, an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and good enough that plenty of potential trading partners will give up something valuable for the right to have him wear their uniform for the rest of this season.

No Thrashers player is more likely to be playing somewhere else after Wednesday.

“He’s one of the guys that’s certainly got some value around the league,” Waddell said. “He’s certainly well-respected. He’s probably been our best defender over the last four years. It’s got to be the right deal; otherwise we’ll continue forward and see where that takes us in the summertime.”

Center Marty Reasoner also is an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and also has value, as a penalty killer, a faceoff winner, a two-way forward in the midst of one of his most productive offensive seasons.